I am new to the site, new to LandCruisers, and even new to Colorado! I recently moved here from NC and decided I needed a new project. Just as a background, I am originally a jeep guy. I bought and built up my ZJ all throughout college. HP30, 8.8, 4.56's, custom 4-link, cage, etc etc.

Then for a little reliability, I picked up an Audi A4. I decided to keep it mostly stock but I really love to work on it. So far its got some ultrasport 18's, 20% tint, navigation, upgraded sound, and A LOT of maintenance and TLC. I want this thing to last forever.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/Audi/S5001027.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/Audi/S5001095.jpg

The timing belt was A LOT of fun. :D

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/Audi/S5000905.jpg

So, next comes the NEW project. I decided to purchase this fine Toyota FJ60 from a guy in Greeley. I (obviously) didn't pay much for it and I am starting to realize why. This was intended to be a budget restoration rebuild and, like most projects, has turned out to be a little more extensive.

Before pics of the delapidated rig in my limited workspace of a garage.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/CruiserExt/177.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/CruiserExt/183.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/CruiserExt/180.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/CruiserExt/181.jpg

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/CruiserInt/185.jpg

ElliottB

04-17-2009, 04:08 PM

Phase 1: Interior

First things first; the interior needs to be completely overhauled. 28 years of dirt, mud, grime, oil, bodily fluids, and who knows what else were sprayed all over this old girl. Considering the interior is the most intricate and laborious of the phases I decided to start here.

Looks great! Please enlighten us on the insulation. Is it a peel and stick or did you have to spray something down first?

ElliottB

04-17-2009, 11:32 PM

It is a peel and stick. I had to use about 2.5 rolls but its only $20 a roll. Much more affordable than B-quiet or Dynamat with similar results. Also underneath the carpet lies a denser carpet pad (thicker than jute) so it should be a pretty quiet ride when it actually runs!

Thanks for the kind words guys!

farnhamstj

04-18-2009, 08:31 AM

Looks like some fun toys. Cherokee looks good. Can't wait to see the finished 60. Nice job so far. Welcome to the Board.

Bikeman

04-18-2009, 09:20 AM

The 60 looks real good so far. Nice B6.

I just picked up a 2007 B7 A4 in white for a DD. It is going to be real hard to keep it stock!

RockRunner

04-18-2009, 09:51 AM

Now that is a build, very nice. Wellcome to the Rising Sun

nakman

04-18-2009, 02:21 PM

Holy cow! when you start a project you don't mess around!!! Like the A4 too, there are a couple other former 1.8t owners here as well.

welcome!!!

AxleIke

04-18-2009, 02:55 PM

Awesome!!!!! Looking great.

Squishy!

04-18-2009, 03:39 PM

I have to say man, you can resto my pickup any day. :rolleyes:

But seriously I like the attn to detail way :cool: :thumb:

ElliottB

04-18-2009, 06:01 PM

Thanks for all the comments guys!

I'm waiting on parts for the interior so I decided to start tearing through all the junk in the motor. Plans for the motor thus far:

If you have to get it emissioned you need to have all the smog stuff on it. If it's 25 years old and you pass the emissions test, you can get collector vehicle plates so you never have to pass emissions again, you just pay the registration fee every 5 years. Then you can be safe pulling all the emissions stuff out, provided you don't plan on selling it or move to another state that requires an emissions test.

Sweet project! When you have the head off are you planning on doing anything with the pistons (hone, new rings, etc.)?

cbmontgo

04-19-2009, 08:22 AM

Great to see another FJ60 get saved from rust.

Matt, I am counting down until next year when my '85 is 25 years old!

Myredyota

04-19-2009, 10:32 AM

Elliot,

Where did you purchase your insulation? My Packard is screaming for that stuff! :beer:

ElliottB

04-19-2009, 10:49 AM

If you have to get it emissioned you need to have all the smog stuff on it. If it's 25 years old and you pass the emissions test, you can get collector vehicle plates so you never have to pass emissions again, you just pay the registration fee every 5 years. Then you can be safe pulling all the emissions stuff out, provided you don't plan on selling it or move to another state that requires an emissions test.

Sweet project! When you have the head off are you planning on doing anything with the pistons (hone, new rings, etc.)?

Thanks for the heads up, I did not know about this. What is the protocol for getting a 28 year old vehicle registered in Arapahoe County? Are they going to run a sniffer test or can I just devane the smog pump to make it look legit enough?

Disclaimer: I am not trying to ruin the environment via bypassing my emissions equipment. I am trying to free up some real estate in my engine bay and simplify my running gear. This truck will see fewer than 1000 miles a year.

ElliottB

04-19-2009, 11:06 AM

Also, does anyone have any advice for the head? This will be my first head I've ever pulled and I'm doing it mainly to replace the head gasket, get to the oil galley plug, and possibly have it rebuilt with new valves.

Any advice for this? Also does anyone know of a good shop in terms of a head rebuild?

maxsdad

04-19-2009, 11:57 AM

I have to recommend Colorado Automotive Machine off of Santa Fe....
Rob

ElliottB

04-21-2009, 11:45 PM

Thanks for the heads up, I did not know about this. What is the protocol for getting a 28 year old vehicle registered in Arapahoe County? Are they going to run a sniffer test or can I just devane the smog pump to make it look legit enough?

Disclaimer: I am not trying to ruin the environment via bypassing my emissions equipment. I am trying to free up some real estate in my engine bay and simplify my running gear. This truck will see fewer than 1000 miles a year.

BTT... any advice for getting this thing registered?

Hulk

04-22-2009, 12:33 AM

You'll have to pass an emissions test once to get plates. They will inspect to see if you have all the OEM smog equipment on the vehicle. The guys won't know enough to tell if the smog pump and air rail are actually doing anything, but they must appear to be functional.

If your Cruiser is a 1981 or earlier, it will only require a tail pipe test while stationary. Vehicles built in 1982 or newer require the full test on rollers. Once you get past emissions, buy the 5-year historical plates so you don't have to jump through this hoop every year.

If you fail the test, you have 10 days to make fixes and get tested again for free.

subzali

04-22-2009, 07:00 AM

If it were me, I would not mess with any of the smog stuff until it passed emissions, then I would spend a weekend pulling it all out after I got the collector plates.

A lot of us have used Gunn Automotive off of 1st and Federal for head work. They did a great job on both of mine; they are pretty familiar with 22R and 2F heads. The one Rob recommends seemed to be pretty good too. Prepare to replace the valves springs while you're in there, they'll test them but I'm guessing they'll need to be replaced. Just a little bit more $$, IIRC it was a little over $200 for a head rebuild (I needed a new valve too, one of them was bent).

AxleIke

04-22-2009, 07:42 AM

Elliot,

Where did you purchase your insulation? :beer:

x2

Inukshuk

04-22-2009, 08:04 AM

Also, does anyone have any advice for the head? This will be my first head I've ever pulled and I'm doing it mainly to replace the head gasket, get to the oil galley plug, and possibly have it rebuilt with new valves.

Any advice for this? Also does anyone know of a good shop in terms of a head rebuild?

I did this successfully when I bought a 60 back in 1998. There is a lot to say, and not enough time to write it now, but two points: Get the factory Service Manuals and the Hynes manual (both help), this club is the best resource ever. Somehow you already knew bout the oil galley plug which puts you ahead of the curve. I learned of it as oil poured out of the newly assembled engine and onto the garage floor. After figuring it out and doing a lot of research, I tapped that hole to an 8MM thread, lathered a bolt with JB weld and never had trouble again.

While I was in there I also replaced the rings and rod bearings. A place called Heads By Paul did my work and the work seemed excellent, but that was 10 years ago and I have no idea about the place now.

ElliottB

04-22-2009, 12:06 PM

x2

I got it at Lowes. It is just all-purpose window flashing, but is a very good bang for the buck. It takes a couple layers to really quiet things down.

Thanks for all of the advice guys!

ElliottB

04-22-2009, 02:58 PM

Is there anywhere in the state where I can register the truck for different regulations? I am getting my carb rebuilt and tuned to the specs of not having a smog pump. Back home the inspection places just check for a cat and call it good.

Edit: I found a good resource for all CO emissions standards.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1185957917898

corsair23

04-22-2009, 03:19 PM

Is there anywhere in the state where I can register the truck for different regulations? I am getting my carb rebuilt and tuned to the specs of not having a smog pump. Back home the inspection places just check for a cat and call it good.

Pretty much anywhere outside of the Denver metro area doesn't have the emissions testing...The trick is you need an address (as in like you live there) in that area in order to register your vehicle there. Pretty common for folks that have cabins and what not for them to register older vehicles (maybe even newer vehicles) outside of the Denver metro area.

My experience with the emissions testing is that a good majority of the people working there don't have a clue what equipment should and should not be on older vehicles...And the nicer/cooler the truck looks and the younger the person is that is helping the less likely they are to pay much attention. But there is no guarantee who you will get or how much they may or may not know. :(

ElliottB

04-22-2009, 10:45 PM

I spent a few hours tonight removing the crappy tint job. This was a real pain but it looks 100x better now with all that cheesy purple film from obstructing my view.

I used a heat gun to soften up this ancient film and adhesive. It worked fairly well. Then I sprayed some "Goo Gone" on it and let it set for 5 minutes or so. After that I shot it with some WD-40 over the Goo-Gone (which helped tremendously) and started scrubbing the adhesive with the nylon brush. The box cutter and prybar were just used for scraping and/or starting a new peeling edge.

I got all of the 4 passenger windows done. I still have to do the tailgate and rear cargo areas. Takes about an hour a window so it's a little time intensive but no one likes bubbly, trashy, purple window tint!

Hulk

04-23-2009, 12:41 PM

Looks really clean. Nice job!

Even if you decide to put on new tint in the future, it will look a million times better than it did. I find tinted windows to be vital in Colorado. I never cared when I lived in Chicago.

ElliottB

05-01-2009, 06:23 PM

New bling. Front and rear Wet Okole covers with sewn in logo. I got a decent stock passenger seat and restuffed the drivers seat. They are both pretty comfortable and will be styling with the new covers. I'll probably install them this weekend.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/CruiserInt/covers.jpg

Bikeman

05-01-2009, 07:05 PM

Way to go Elliott.

cbmontgo

05-01-2009, 07:44 PM

I had the same purple pimp tint when I bought my FJ60 in Arizona in 2004. Removing it and revealing the stock clear glass was the best thing I ever did with that truck. Took a long time though. I was high on acetone for several days.

jettaglxdriver

05-01-2009, 08:25 PM

I like the work you have done so far. Keep it up.

I have had heads rebuilt at both Gunn Automotive and Performance Machine and was very pleased with both places.

ElliottB

05-03-2009, 09:21 PM

After a pretty rough snowboarding injury yesterday I had to take it easy in the garage today. I did all of this with a broken hand, so I can't complain with how much I got done.

After installing the seats, I had to give my roommates car a tuneup. It's a 2007 Chrysler 300, it's really nice to work on something so new. Took about an hour to change the spark plugs, coil packs, and injectors. It's running like butter now!

So, I get back to my rig now. I pulled the valve cover, carb, and distributor. I am sending the carb off to be rebuilt and tuned as well as the distributor to get re-curved to my specs. I've never rebuilt a carb so I will gladly pay someone for me to save my sanity.

This car is in need of some serious TLC. I can't wait to get it back all shined up.

I hope to have the head pulled this week. After that, I'm going to start working on the bottom end. If I can have my motor running by July I will be ecstatic!Thanks for reading!

jettaglxdriver

05-08-2009, 10:47 AM

Where did you get the peel n stick at? Was it locally or did you order it from some place? I am fighting off the urge to keep doing crazy stuff while I have it tore apart (stay in budget keep the daily driver driving). LOL

wesintl

05-08-2009, 11:05 AM

nice job so far!

jettaglxdriver

05-19-2009, 12:30 PM

Do you need help with that Head removal?

ElliottB

05-19-2009, 01:41 PM

I definitely do. I could wait another 3 weeks for my hand to heal but that would put a hold on my projected finish time.

60wag

05-19-2009, 03:45 PM

Nice job on the 60. I've had 2 60s, the first was an 81 with a tired 2F that made 110 to 125 psi. The second, I rebuilt with an 0.050 head shave and a Jim C carb. It made about 165 psi straight across all cylinders. That was a fun truck to drive. I jealous of the feeling you'll get when you unwrap your freshly rebuilt carb.

ttubb

05-19-2009, 06:33 PM

It is fun watching your progress. Keep up the good work! I look forward to seeing the finished product this summer. T:cheers:

ElliottB

05-22-2009, 06:40 PM

Been putting in 30 mins here, and hour there, slowly getting my motor torn apart and ready for a rebuild. I had to hack my air rail to get it off but with the desmog already commenced that shouldn't matter. The air rail, air pump, and various hoses and check valves are being chucked to free up real estate. I think I am just going to devane the smog pump instead of spending the extra $ for a pulley. This may change though.

I put in a little bit of time on it today. The rain cut my bike ride short.

I got the intake and exhaust manifold off. I also got the power steering pump off and will be rebuilding it. Fortunately, the main shafts bushing is intact so I can just replace the internal o-rings without having to buy a new/reman'd PS pump. I am also still pulling a lot of the smog junk and modifying it to be a smogless truck. It's quite a pain.

Installing everything after being completely cleaned and a coat of high temp paint. This is crucial for spotting new leaks.

subzali

05-23-2009, 11:24 PM

I've found the Carquest gloves to be pretty durable and hold up pretty well. They come in a box that has green on it. Unless you catch it on something or are turning a lot of nuts and bolts (sharp corners), I've gone a whole evening of wrenching without putting on new gloves...

ElliottB

06-02-2009, 06:40 PM

Head is off and going to the machine shop tomorrow. By the time I get back from Moab, everything should be about ready to reinstall.

And I don't know what kind of cylinder crosshatch I'm supposed to be seeing here on a motor with 200K miles on it, or how that really works but this is what I see. The cylinder wall seems fairly uniform on all 6 cylinders. I guess this is a good sign for my piston rings.

So I haven't touched this thing since I've been back from Moab but I did pick up the head from the machine shop. It got a complete valve job, new valve guides and seals, got the oil galley plug drilled and tapped (I don't have a good enough tap and die set to do it myself), mounting surface decked, and magnafluxed. Now it's all purty.

And then I started cleaning up the motor itself. Basically for 10+ years it had grime from a leaking PS pump, oil pan, pushrod inspection cover, valve cover, and pretty much everything else you can imagine. It will probably take another week to get it completely cleaned up before I put the head back on and start the reassembly process.

Gunn's Automotive does great work and at some of the most reasonable prices I've seen. Plus, Phil Gunn is super nice. It's a real "old school" business. I'll hate to see them go when Phil retires.

Boulder Cruiser

06-15-2009, 04:49 PM

Nice work! :thumb:

jettaglxdriver

06-15-2009, 05:29 PM

Maybe his employees if there are a couple old time employees there can buy it and keep it going.

ElliottB

06-23-2009, 11:27 PM

So everything is done, rebuilt, cleaned up, etc. All that's left is to put it all together.

I had a couple hours tonight to pop off the oil pan, clean it up, and prep it for a new gasket. The bolts on the oil pan were not even finger tight, no wonder it was leaking. This is how it looked when I pulled it off.

And here's where I currently sit. I will be buckling down over the next few weeks to get it all assembled and hopefully running. I am going back home on July 15th so my ultimate goal is to have it running by then. Wish me luck!

So I don't get to work on this thing everyday but when I do, I feel like I get A LOT done.

Today I started out by painting a few things. I was told the head would get surface rust after being hot tanked (I don't really know about that) but for good measure I put a couple coats of high temp paint on it.... along with my water pump, exhaust/intake manifold, and valve cover.

After I got all of that cooking I started to tear in on my steering pump rebuild. Fairly straight forward but I have a few left over parts that came with the rebuild kit and I could find no place for them to go. I am doing a writeup on the rebuild process and posting it on IH8MUD.com.

I got my oil pan all RTV'ed and gasketed up and mounted that back on the block. Hopefully that doesn't leak again because there are 24 bolts on the pan and 5 on the bellhousing dust cover... not fun to mess with all of those bolts.

After that I got the inspection cover also RTV'ed and gasketed and reinstalled it. No pics of that as it's not very exciting.

I also made a couple of plates for my EGR cooler blockoff and the PCV blockoff. I know blocking off the PCV isn't the best idea as it will cause acidity in the crankcase but it will still be vented. I still need to find gaskets for both of these; I thought they would've been included with the head gasket kit as you have to take BOTH of those things off to remove the head but I guess not.

Here is probably the BEST mod of the day... maybe even the century. Every so often an automotive invention comes along that changes the way we look at modification, driveability, babies, Luxembourg and other things that are also somewhat important. I present to you.... THE 7 DOLLAR SUPER TECHNICAL GYMKHANA APPROVED, AUTOBAHN TESTED, HARBOR FREIGHT PEDAL SET!!! I don't know how many more horses this gave me (thinking somewhere in the 70-80 range) but it cannot be fooled with.

Here is probably the BEST mod of the day... maybe even the century. Every so often an automotive invention comes along that changes the way we look at modification, driveability, babies, Luxembourg and other things that are also somewhat important. I present to you.... THE 7 DOLLAR SUPER TECHNICAL GYMKHANA APPROVED, AUTOBAHN TESTED, HARBOR FREIGHT PEDAL SET!!! I don't know how many more horses this gave me (thinking somewhere in the 70-80 range) but it cannot be fooled with.

:lmao: :thumb:

nuclearlemon

06-28-2009, 11:54 AM

when you bolt up your oil pan, put some blue loctite on the bolts. they're notorious for loosening up. many have changed the rear main thinking that was the leak onlly to find it was just pan bolts that had loosened (ask how i know :doh:)

ElliottB

06-28-2009, 07:03 PM

Crap, I already put the bolts on! I'll put that on the list of things to do before initial fireup.

ElliottB

07-04-2009, 07:43 PM

Starting to put everything back together but still waiting on a couple of parts to arrive. Mostly gaskets, intake fittings, and other miscellaneous pieces. I've never done this vast of an engine overhaul so I am excited to see how it turns out. At the same time, I'm scared that there will be numerous leaks, maladjusted belts, electrical gremlins (having fought with the PO's previous wiring rat's nest), or catastrophic failure. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Got my smog pump devaned and the air rail holes plugged up. It's essentially going to act as a pulley.

Grounded my EGR wire. It is connected to the PCV/EGR assembly that comes off the side of the intake manifold. It's also plugged up now. I know this isn't ideal as moisture and acidity can build up in the crankcase without proper ventilation, but we'll see how it works out.

I don't have electricity in my garage right now (wiring in this house is SKETCHY!) so I had to run a LONG extension cord to finally get cutting on my blockoff plates. One is for the EGR/PCV hole and the other is for the EGR cooler hole. This is the best I could do with an angle grinder.

And here's where I am now. A lot further along but still a long way to go. Plumbing the carb for all of the newly desmogged items is not something I'm looking forward to. I'm still shooting for July 15th startup day... we'll see how that goes!

Does anyone have any advice for bolting up the intake/exhaust manifold?

I messed with it for 2 hours yesterday and could not get it lined up. I got it bolted to the exhaust downpipe and the 2 studs protruding from the head but can't get the other holes lined up (even with a rubber mallet and brute force). Might take an extra pair of hands.

subzali

07-07-2009, 01:19 PM

keep the bolts between the intake and exhaust portions loose until you get the nuts started against the head. Once the attachment to the head is tight, then tighten the two together. I think that's the best procedure. Tighten the bolts on the exhaust downpipe last.

jettaglxdriver

07-07-2009, 01:28 PM

I could help you out if you want. I didn't have much trouble getting mine the 2 times I did it. When my new HG arrives I am going to do it a 3rd. SIGH.

ElliottB

07-09-2009, 12:38 PM

So I got the intake/exhaust manifold on but the rear most bolt (14mm on the very back) is stripped out I think. I kept turning it and it spun with resistance but wasn't going any deeper. Is it possible to strip the threads in the head or are they stronger than the bolt? I guess I won't know until I pull it out and check it. It's really frustrating. Any thoughts on fixing a stripped thread in the head? Would I be ok running it without that rear most bolt for a short time until I could get around to fixing it?

Beater

07-09-2009, 01:13 PM

helicoil?

corsair23

07-09-2009, 02:16 PM

Maybe try chasing the threads first and using a new bolt? How do the threads on the bolt look? How torqued down do the bolts need to go?

After that then John's helicoil idea might be the best bet if feasible. Ben did that on my knuckle and it has held for over a year :thumb:

ElliottB

07-13-2009, 01:17 AM

Sadly, I will not have this thing running before I go home for a week. I am still waiting on my rebuilt carb and distributor (was only supposed to be 4-5 weeks!), a water pump gasket, and silicone tubing from McMaster's. Regardless, when it arrives I should be ready to plumb all the new vacuum hoses and bolt up the shiny parts.

After almost stripping the rear most hole on the rear of the head (near the firewall), I got it back in usable condition and was able to bolt my intake/exhaust manifold back up. This is a real PITA on this truck, I literally have to stand on it and bounce it around to get the holes to line up right. Hopefully, I won't have to pull it off anytime soon.

Are you having Jim C. rebuild your carb and distributor? If so, it will be worth the wait!

Drew

ElliottB

07-13-2009, 03:23 PM

Sure is purdy!

Are you having Jim C. rebuild your carb and distributor? If so, it will be worth the wait!

Drew

Yep, Jim C is taking care of it. It should be arriving right about the time that I leave to go home for a week. At least I should have everything I need by the time I get back!

ElliottB

08-09-2009, 11:11 PM

After waiting a LONG time, I finally got my carb and distributor back from JimC. I am trying to figure out how to plumb everything and it's been a real headache. Fortunately, Mike (jettaglxdriver) is coming over tomorrow so I can look at his desmogged truck and play copycat! There is a small, tiny, minute chance that I may even start the truck tomorrow. WOOT!

The port on the top of the dizzy goes to your air cleaner. It pulls a slight vacuum to ventilate the dizzy.

Then you have the vacuum retard and advance on the side diaphragm of the dizzy, don't exactly remember where they need to hook up.

Uncle Ben

08-10-2009, 07:15 AM

The hose schematic should be pretty clear in the FSM!

ElliottB

08-11-2009, 12:11 AM

First of all, HUGE THANKS to Mike (jettaglxdriver). He gave me a hand plumbing the vac hoses, adjusting the valves, installing the distributor, etc. He really knows his stuff!

Just for future FJ60 desmoggers, I put a little color on this schematic. I am not running any BVSV's or a PCV system. However, I am running the HAC (high altitude compensator) because I often drive back east, up north, all over the place really.

I got pretty excited at the possibility of starting it up and gave it a try. No dice. There is no spark at the coil, I think I might make a new thread about this. It's quite a curious thing.

jettaglxdriver

08-11-2009, 08:13 AM

Just thinking of things that would be stopping you from having spark. Elliot did you pull the coil off the inner fender and paint under the coil? That mount for the coil is the ground and we might not be getting a ground connection. Just a thought.

Read through this thread Elliot this might help us.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/293485-help-replaced-most-my-ignition-still-no-spark.html

SteveH

08-11-2009, 08:37 AM

Without consulting my FJ60 emission manual, I thought the FJ60-era distributors had two ports - one for 'vac advance' and one for 'a bit more vac advance' - not 'vac advance' and 'vac retard'. The 'a bit more vac advance' port is connected to the HAC (High Altitude Compensator) to give you more spark advance at higher elevations.

My only point is to be sure you know the functions of both ports on the vac advance module before hooking it up.

My '78 has a vac adv/vac retard setup, so I'm fully familiar with that earlier design.

Steve

ElliottB

08-11-2009, 09:44 AM

Just thinking of things that would be stopping you from having spark. Elliot did you pull the coil off the inner fender and paint under the coil? That mount for the coil is the ground and we might not be getting a ground connection. Just a thought.

Read through this thread Elliot this might help us.
http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/293485-help-replaced-most-my-ignition-still-no-spark.html

I did paint the inner fender liner so that could be a contributing factor. I think I'll start another tech thread for this very issue.

ElliottB

08-11-2009, 10:58 PM

Again, a BIG THANKS to Mike (jettaglxdriver) who helped me bring this motor to life. He certainly knows his stuff!

I got all of the hoses run and everything connected but had an issue getting spark to the coil. Per JimC and the rest of the mud 2F gurus, I grounded the coil better and swapped 2 connectors that appeared to be backwards and...

http://www.mallcrawlin.com/videos/startup.3gp

I apologize for the Quicktime format. That's how cell phone video cams go. Anyway, it didn't take much and it vroooomed to life. I didn't even have the choke pulled. I set the timing to 7*, the idle is at 650 rpm and after all of the new adhesive, oil, paint, etc smoked off of the surface its running like a champ! I need to get things cleaned up a little bit in regards to hoses and wiring so I will do that and post pics tomorrow. It's now a functional vehicle again!

.....until I rip the suspension/axles out of it this weekend....

subzali

08-12-2009, 07:48 AM

Sweet! What are you going with? And what's going to happen to the drivetrain afterwards (next step of your build)?

ElliottB

08-12-2009, 09:37 AM

3" OME lift with shocks, rebuilt axles (knuckles, bearings, seals, etc), possibly the 4-runner caliper swap, cleaning and rustproofing the frame, new steering, Tacoma 17" wheels w/ 33x10.50 KM2's, etc. Hopefully I can be done with this stage by November so this truck can actually pull snow duty this year in Vail.

rover67

08-12-2009, 09:52 AM

can I have your old springs?

ElliottB

08-12-2009, 09:21 PM

I actually drove it around the neighborhood tonight! First time it's left the garage since January. Woot! Anyway, I fixed all of the leaks that made themselves obvious and cleaned up the vacuum hoses a little bit. Here are shots of the FINISHED motor.

What happened to the fan shroud? You'll probably want to have one in there. The rest of it looks great.

jettaglxdriver

08-13-2009, 06:50 AM

I think he is going to do the 2 piece mod

subzali

08-13-2009, 07:33 AM

why 4runner calipers? By new steering you don't mean you're going to change the steering design, just the components right?

jettaglxdriver

08-13-2009, 07:53 AM

The 954runner calipers are a cheaper bolt on replacement that is an upgrade in stopping power at the same time. This isn't a huge difference but it is a little better. Larger caliper pistons and larger pads for less $. They bolt on, trim the dust shield, use the stock lines, and keep your stock master cylinder.

What happened to the fan shroud? You'll probably want to have one in there. The rest of it looks great.

FYI Elliot, I did the split fan shroud and only have the top half mounted. My temp stays nice and low all the time even when ambient temp is 100+ and I'm running at 70+ mph. Get's a bit hotter on the trail than the highway but never even gets to the halfway point.

MDH33

08-13-2009, 01:36 PM

Look at all that room with the smog stuff removed. Very nice. :thumb:

ElliottB

08-13-2009, 02:06 PM

FYI Elliot, I did the split fan shroud and only have the top half mounted. My temp stays nice and low all the time even when ambient temp is 100+ and I'm running at 70+ mph. Get's a bit hotter on the trail than the highway but never even gets to the halfway point.

Thanks for the heads up. I'll probably do the same!

ElliottB

08-20-2009, 11:32 PM

I've got the hood/lights/grille back on, and the power steering is finally working properly. I just discovered, however, my heater core is leaking REALLY badly. :rant::rant::rant: I'll hopefully tear into that this weekend and get it to where I can actually drive it without ruining my brand new interior.

60wag

08-21-2009, 05:49 AM

You can shunt off the heater core supply hoses until you can get the core out of there.

ElliottB

08-21-2009, 08:02 AM

You can shunt off the heater core supply hoses until you can get the core out of there.

Hmm, how do I do this?

jettaglxdriver

08-21-2009, 08:08 AM

Just put a tube in between the 2 hoses that go to the heater core so they are just spliced together and clamp them. This will bypass your heater core.

ElliottB

09-05-2009, 05:53 PM

I'm tearing into the suspension and axles this week. I picked up some springs and shocks from a guy that had been sitting on his 60 for awhile. Only have a couple thousand miles on everything but had been sitting for awhile. Good excuse for a rebuild.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/_MG_8003.jpg

Pulled the leaves apart, wire wheeled, painted, and jig-a-loo'd (graphite spray to keep springs from squeaking) them before reassembly.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/_MG_8004.jpg

Coupled with new bushings, this might as well be a brand new set.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/_MG_8006.jpg

Going to do the same to these bad boys tomorrow. For now, it's time to hit the books!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/_MG_8005.jpg

Oh yeah, and gave the shocks some love too.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a349/Puma297/_MG_8007.jpg

Off to the library!

ElliottB

09-19-2009, 04:14 PM

So I didn't get ANYTHING done today like I had planned. I have been running around, acquiring parts, at the gym, etc, etc and now I've been informed that there is an Oktoberfest festival happening downtown tonight. So, yeah, the truck can wait.

I did pick up a set of wheels and tires. (4) 17" Nissan Titan wheels wrapped with 285/70/17 BFG All Terrains. This is about a 33x11.50 so that is perfect for this truck. The wheels will be getting a little love from the machine shop as the hub does not pass through the center cap hole. I also have some 1.5" spacers to set them correctly under the wheel well.

And all of my brake parts are here. Calipers and rotors are from a 95 4Runner and should fit with a little trimming of the backing plate. I may or may not need to upgrade to a larger volume master cylinder. We'll see how it feels.

Aside from a couple of brake hoses that had to be special ordered, the front axle is DONE! I'm glad too, I was getting tired of messing with it. Setting all the bearing preloads, fishing out cone washers, blah blah blah.

After I get the calipers plumbed, I'll be moving onto the rear axle. I'm thinking that will be much less time intensive.

Mendocino

10-04-2009, 08:01 PM

Looking good!:thumb:

74fj40

10-25-2009, 09:24 AM

update?!?

ElliottB

10-25-2009, 02:41 PM

I've been busy with school but I'm slowly making progress. The rear was supposed to be easier but every bolt has been completely seized. I'm also working on fixing rusty frame channels, cleaning up the axles, etc... nothing too exciting.

I've been taking the time to undo everything from the frame (brake lines, fuel lines, etc) to sand it down and paint it with a rust preventative enamel. It's much like rust bullet, I've great success with it in the past but it's not cheap.

Hoping to have the rear axle completely done within the next 2 weeks! I need some serious motivation.

RockRunner

10-31-2009, 06:25 PM

Looking good E, take your time so you do it right the first time.

Also what does that part do that you "disassembled":p:

ElliottB

10-31-2009, 06:29 PM

HAHA, well the top piece is/was a spring pin. It had completely seized itself in the bushing. I'm guess it was the stock one from 1981. The other aluminum bits are from the e-brake bellcrank. I needed to save the arm and boot so that was the only way of separating them.

rover67

11-01-2009, 08:51 AM

what spraypaint did you use?

Where did you source the belcrank?

ElliottB

11-01-2009, 10:18 AM

This paint.

http://www.krylon.com/images/products/large/rusttough-enamel.png

It works really well. I got the bellcranks from Toyota.

ElliottB

11-26-2009, 11:51 AM

Got the rear axle done.

New wheel cylinders
New shoes
New e-brake bellcranks and hardware
3" lift springs/shocks
Rebuilt and balanced driveshaft
Shock xmember cleaned and painted with rust proof enamel
Same with rear half of the frame (lots of work but worth it)

Still need to get the drums turned and bleed the brakes. Hopefully I can make that happen this weekend!

jettaglxdriver

11-27-2009, 01:56 PM

Looks damn good man.

subzali

11-30-2009, 04:54 PM

sweet. :cool:

TIMZTOY

12-01-2009, 01:13 PM

Bring them buy and I can turn them for free !! Or just swing by any shop

ElliottB

12-01-2009, 01:19 PM

Drums are turned and I bled the brakes. It started right up but I'm getting no brake pressure. I checked all of the connection, no leaks and the MC is full. I either have some air in the system somewhere or the seals in the MC are shot. I'll probably mess with it some tomorrow night but at least it's back on all 4's for the first time in 6 months!

74fj40

12-01-2009, 07:14 PM

do you get pressure when you pump the brakes? either way, have you adjusted the rear wheel cylinders?

ElliottB

12-01-2009, 08:28 PM

I get pressure when I pump the brakes several times. When the vehicle is on, it only retains that pressure for 2-3 seconds after which it goes straight to the floor. When the truck is off it will keep the pressure much longer.

It's either the master cylinder or I didn't bleed the brakes well enough. I'll hopefully get to mess with it some night this week.

74fj40

12-01-2009, 11:14 PM

well before you go buy a new MC, try adjusting the wheel cylinders. I had a problem EXACTLY like this. everyone said it was a MC including brakes plus(but what do they know anyways ;)) . By that point I had replaced just about every piece in the brake system and finally the MC. Still hadthe problem. I think it was Wes that told me to adjust the cylinders, sure enough, turns out that was the problem.

Worth a try I suppose!

74fj40

12-01-2009, 11:16 PM

Wait, hmm that was when I had fj40 axles... with dual wheel cylinders per each wheel... dunno it its going to be different for a single wheel cylinder per wheel...

SteveH

12-02-2009, 07:11 AM

Consider bench bleeding (or re-bench bleeding) the MC. I was not able to get any brake pressure on a minitruck MC until I removed it and carefully bench bled it in my vise. After that, worked perfectly.

ElliottB

12-05-2009, 08:11 AM

Well after thoroughly bleeding the brakes and making a few adjustments, I actually pulled the beast out of the garage. Upon first drive, it feels A TON better than those flat, worn out springs and shocks. The steering feels nice and tight, the parking brake works well, and most importantly.... it didn't blow up on the test drive! I'm hoping the shackle angle mellows out a little bit as the springs settle but we'll see, the ride quality isn't terrible but we'll see how it holds up.

Next endeavor is mounting up this SROR rear bumper I have along with fabbing the tire carrier and jerry can holder. I'm so glad I have a REAL 4x4 to drive now! Thanks for reading.

I bet the shackles will be at a much better angle once you get the new bumpers mounted up. ;)

TIMZTOY

12-05-2009, 01:35 PM

Woohoo:clap::clap::clap::woot:

Chris

12-05-2009, 02:04 PM

Looks great! Prepare yourself to move the rear shackle forward an inch though. I waited more than a year for the OME springs to soften w/SROR bumper and all. They never did. Not a big deal.

rover67

12-05-2009, 02:59 PM

looks good dude, let me knwo if you want to stop by tomorrow. I'll trade ya work. you do the same job on the 40 block that you did on your 60 and i'll cut and weld!!

ElliottB

12-07-2009, 05:06 PM

Looks great! Prepare yourself to move the rear shackle forward an inch though. I waited more than a year for the OME springs to soften w/SROR bumper and all. They never did. Not a big deal.

Did you actually cut off and move the rear mounts? I've driven it around the neighborhood a little bit and it's a pretty bumpy ride. I certainly wouldn't mind changing the shackle angle.

Chris

12-07-2009, 05:30 PM

Yes, just cut them off and moved forward 1", made a huge difference! I put a 1/4" plate between it and the frame as well. My theory was it would compensate for any lift changed by moving it. I don't think it made any difference but it didn't hurt either.

ElliottB

12-26-2009, 03:45 PM

I'm working through the arduous task of tweaking everything so that it works like it's supposed to. My HVAC, driveshaft, and hubs all needed/need to be addressed.

Well, I reset my u-joints so that the driveshaft is "in phase." Hopefully this will cure my clicking problem. I haven't had it out since it's been back together, I have a couple other project on my hands.

I did fix the electrical stuff in the steering column. I even posted a little writeup here, although most of you gurus probably won't need it.

And I finally have cured all of the rust on my frame. The rear was slightly delaminated so I pounded out all of the rust I could see and applied a liberal amount of the rust-eating paint! Here is what my rear crossmember looked like.

Looks great. If you want to drive it north (NWP and Sheridan Parkway) I will help you with the bumper. I have air and a "semi-heated" shop.:rolleyes:

ElliottB

12-26-2009, 04:43 PM

Hey thanks for the offer! I probably won't have this thing registered until the 2nd or 3rd week of January, so I don't wanna be caught "ridin' dirty." :D

If it's still not installed by then I'll take you up on it!

BTW, I am pretty jealous of your heated shop. My garage is not insulated and is on the shady side of the street. It's typically colder than the ambient air... but at least its a place to wrench!

Mendocino

12-26-2009, 05:28 PM

Hey thanks for the offer! I probably won't have this thing registered until the 2nd or 3rd week of January, so I don't wanna be caught "ridin' dirty." :D

If it's still not installed by then I'll take you up on it!

BTW, I am pretty jealous of your heated shop. My garage is not insulated and is on the shady side of the street. It's typically colder than the ambient air... but at least its a place to wrench!

Please note I said "semi-heated." It has been really cold lately. One section (25'x25') is south facing but the other (15'x25') is not.

corsair23

12-26-2009, 11:45 PM

Looking great :thumb:

Although I must say, those wheels give the rig an almost Range Rover look :hill: - Not that there is anything wrong with that :D

Oh, and careful with having it parked on the street. IIRC your vehicle must be registered if it is parked on the street. Could sit for years that way and never be an issue or a cop could drive by tomorrow and spot the rig and ticket you.

leiniesred

12-28-2009, 02:32 PM

Hey Elliot, I can't see images at work, but in person it is nice to see your FJ60 on the pavement! Lookin' good down there! Remember I'm just a few houses down if you need an extra pair of hands for somethin'.
-Stephen

corsair23

12-28-2009, 02:34 PM

HRemember I'm just a few houses down if you need an extra pair of hands for somethin'.
-Stephen

Well...he does need help getting that SROR rear bumper installed that you can't see the picture of :)

ElliottB

12-30-2009, 04:56 PM

Got the thing installed... just took a little negotiation with a grinder and a BFH.

Tire carrier to come as soon as I can track down a couple of feet of 2x2.

RockRunner

12-30-2009, 06:40 PM

How long a piece do you need? I got some if you can't find any close since I am in Roxborough.

ElliottB

12-31-2009, 01:05 AM

I only need about 3 feet of tube and a small plate to make a tire mount. Want to trade a case of beer for some of your scrap?